Editorial: CMI grads starting to make their marks

Director Julian Alexander, left, on the set of his short film, "Buffalo." Alexander is a graduate of NMSU's Creative Media Institute, and "Buffalo" was recently selected to be screened at the Cannes Film Festival. Also pictured, from left to right, are crew members Andrew Griego, Dillon Glazebrook and Ilana Lapid.(Photo: Courtesy Photo / Cristina Comancho)

In 2004, as part of his plan to build a competitive film industry in New Mexico, Gov. Bill Richardson approved $10 million for the Creative Media Institute at New Mexico State University to provide the technical training students would need to fill the new jobs coming to the state.

“We’re just getting a footing into the (movie) industry,” then-Mayor Bill Mattiace said during a groundbreaking ceremony for CMI in January 2006.

Ten years later, Las Cruces and southern New Mexico have still not been able to take full advantage of the economic opportunities that film and television production have brought to our state. But, graduates from the Creative Media Institute, which offers a bachelor’s degree in creative media and gives students hands-on experience with the same digital technology used professionally within the industry, are starting to make their marks.

Two graduates recently had short films accepted into international film festivals.

The film “Buffalo,” made by Julian Alexander while he was a student at CMI, and produced by CMI graduate Keagan Karnes, has been accepted for the Short Film Corner at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival. The film tells the story of a black sergeant serving in the Buffalo Soldiers during the time of the settlement of the west.

A period piece shot on location in Cubero, New Mexico, it involves horses and buffalo; battle scenes and stunts; and any number of tricky production elements that would seem to be well advanced of a typical student film project.

Another short film, “Wolff’s Law,” made by CMI graduate Sheridan O’Donnell, has been accepted into the Brussels Short Film Festival in May. The film, which focuses on the issues of teenage bullying and revenge, was also produced by Karnes.

“We had been working so hard for years, but none of our stuff was out yet. Now, all at once, it’s beginning to feel like everything is taking off,” Karnes said.

In an industry where rejection is far more common than acceptance, the recent success of CMI graduates has been inspiring to current students, assistant professor Ilana Lapid said.

“They’re making the transition from film school into the world of being independent filmmakers,” Lapid said. “We also hope that the relationships, the networks that students build here at CMI and that continue once they graduate, will enable them to continue to work together and lead them to employment opportunities in the future.”

The CMI facilities include a digital projection system screening room, post-production lab, animation lab, and production space that are all of professional quality. The focus is on the latest digital technology used in films, special effects and animation.

Students choose a particular area of emphasis such as writing, cinematography or animation, but get some level of hands-on experience in all aspects of the process. That has fostered collaborations in which CMI students have worked together to help each other. Matt Wilson, another CMI graduate, was the cinematographer on “Wolff’s Law.”

We wish these CMI graduates the best as they travel to Europe for their upcoming screenings, and as they continue putting the skills learned at CMI to use telling stories in creative, new ways